1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a register for adjusting the blowing direction of air supplied from an air conditioner.
2. Description of the Related Art
A register is disposed on a downstream side of air flow in an air conditioner in order to adjust the blowing direction of the air supplied from the air conditioner. A variety of such registers have been known conventionally. The registers are a component part which comprises a substantially cylinder-shaped retainer and a plurality of fin members disposed in the retainer. The fin members are swung to change their direction angles in order to adjust the blowing direction of air.
A register usually comprises a vertical fin assembly, and a horizontal fin assembly. The vertical fin assembly comprises a plurality of vertical fin members extending in the substantially vertical direction and disposed in a manner neighboring one after another. The horizontal fin assembly comprises a plurality of horizontal fin members extending in the substantially horizontal direction and disposed in a manner neighboring one after another. The vertical fin assembly adjusts the blowing direction of air in the right/left direction by swinging the vertical fin members, which are disposed in the right/left direction in a manner neighboring one after another, about the swing shafts. Likewise, the horizontal fin assembly adjusts the blowing direction of air in the up/down direction by swinging the horizontal fin members, which are disposed in the up/down direction in a manner neighboring one after another, about the swing shafts.
For example, a conventional register has been known in which the fin members of one of the fin assemblies are swung to open or close the outlet opening of the retainer in order to adjust the flow volume of air flowing out from the retainer to the outside.
FIG. 5 schematically illustrates a perspective view of the conventional register for adjusting the flow volume of air. Moreover, FIG. 6 schematically illustrates a cross-sectional view how the conventional register shown in FIG. 5 appears when it is cut along the plane “6” of FIG. 5.
As illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6, a conventional register 100 comprises a substantially cylinder-shaped retainer 101, a vertical fin assembly (not shown in FIG. 5), and a horizontal fin assembly 106. As illustrated in FIG. 6, the vertical fin assembly is disposed in the retainer 101, and comprises a plurality of vertical fin members 102 disposed in the right/left direction in a manner neighboring one after another. The horizontal fin assembly 106 is disposed in the retainer 101, and comprises a plurality of horizontal fin members 105 disposed in the up/down direction in a manner neighboring one after another. Moreover, a substantially frame-shaped bezel 107 is installed onto the front surface of the retainer 101. An air conditioner (not shown) is installed onto the rear side of the retainer 101. Air blowing out from the air conditioner passes inside the retainer 101, and flows out to the outside through the inside of the substantially frame-shaped bezel 107. A window 108 is opened under the bezel 107 so that the space disposed below the retainer 101 communicates with the outside.
The vertical fin members 102 and the horizontal fin members 105 are formed as a substantially long strip shape, respectively, and have swing shafts at the longitudinal opposite ends. For example, the vertical fin members 102 swing in the right/left direction about the swing shafts 110 extending in the up/down direction. The horizontal fin members 105 swing in the up/down direction about the swing shafts 111 extending in the right/left direction. The vertical fin assembly is disposed on an upstream side of a ventilation passage formed in the retainer 101. The horizontal fin assembly 106 is disposed on a downstream side of the ventilation passage with respect to the vertical fin assembly.
The top swing shafts 110 of the vertical fin members 102 are fitted into a top wall 113 of the retainer 101, and are supported pivotably therein. The bottom swing shafts 110 of the vertical fin members 102 are fitted into a bottom wall 117 of the bezel 107, and are supported pivotably therein. Moreover, the bottom swing shafts 110 comprise a leading end extending under a bottom wall 116 of the retainer 101, respectively. Note that the leading end makes a vertical-fin connector 120 being bent rearward from the bottom swing shafts 110 and being re-bent downward. The vertical-fin connector 120 is supported pivotably in a substantially rod-shaped first link plate 121. The first link plate 121 is disposed outside and under the retainer 101, and extends in the right/left direction. The first link plate 121 comprises a vertical-fin-assembly operation knob 125 disposed at the substantially middle and extending forward. One of the opposite ends of the vertical-fin-assembly operation knob 125, the opposite end directing contrary to the opposite end integrated with the first link plate 121, is fitted into the window 108 of the bezel 107, and is exposed in front of the register 100.
Thus, the first link plate 121 connects the vertical fin members 102 with each other. When operating the vertical-fin-assembly operation knob 125 in the right/left direction, the first link plate 121 moves in the right/left direction. Accordingly, the vertical-fin connectors 120, a part of the bottom swing shafts 110 supported pivotably in the first link plate 121, move in the right/left direction. Consequently, the vertical fin members 102 swing synchronously about the swing shafts 110.
The horizontal fin members 105 comprise swing shafts 111 extending in the right/left direction. One of the swing shafts 111 is disposed at the bottom on the right-end side of the horizontal fin members 105 when the horizontal fin members 105 swing to the close position. The other one of the swing shafts 111 is disposed at the bottom on the left-end side of the horizontal fin members 105 when the horizontal fin members 105 swing to the close position. The right swing shafts 111 are fitted into a right wall 126 of the retainer 101, and are supported pivotably therein. The left swing shafts 111 are fitted into a left wall 127 of the retainer 101, and are supported pivotably therein. Moreover, the horizontal fin members 105 further comprise first horizontal-fin connectors 130, and second horizontal-fin connectors (not shown). The first horizontal-fin connectors 130 are disposed at the top on the left-end side of the horizontal fin members 105 when the horizontal fin members 105 swing to the close position. The second horizontal-fin connectors are disposed at the top on the right-end side of the horizontal fin members 105 when the horizontal fin members 105 swing to the close position. The first horizontal-fin connectors 130 are formed so as to extend leftward from the left-end side of the horizontal fin members 105, bend rearward temporarily and re-extend leftward. The second horizontal-fin connectors are formed so as to extend rightward from the right-end side of the horizontal fin members 105, bend rearward temporarily and re-extend rightward.
The first horizontal-fin connectors 130 are fitted into a substantially rod-shaped second link plate (not shown), and are supported pivotably therein. The second link plate is disposed on the left side in the retainer 101, and extends in the up/down direction. Moreover, the second horizontal-fin connectors are fitted into a substantially rod-shaped third link plate (not shown), and are supported pivotably therein. The third link plate is disposed on the right side in the retainer 101, and extends in the up/down direction.
One of the horizontal fin members 105, disposed at the substantially middle of the horizontal fin assembly 106 in the up/down direction, comprises a horizontal-fin-assembly operation knob 135. The one of the horizontal fin members 105 will be hereinafter specifically referred to as an operation horizontal fin member 131. As illustrated in FIG. 5, the horizontal-fin-assembly operation knob 135 is disposed at a slightly leftward position on the bottom-end side of the operation horizontal fin member 131 when the operation horizontal fin member 131 swings to the close position. Moreover, the horizontal-fin-assembly operation knob 135 is formed as a substantially disk shape, and is integrated with the operation horizontal fin member 131 so as to project the curved surface forward from the register 100. In addition, the horizontal fin member 105 neighboring under the operation horizontal fin member 131 is cut off at a part facing the horizontal-fin operation knob 135. Thus, the horizontal fin member 105 does not interfere with the horizontal-fin operation knob 135 when it swings.
The second link plate and third link plate connect the horizontal fin members 105 with each other. When operating the horizontal-fin operation knob 135 in the up/down direction, the second link plate and third link plate move in the up/down direction. Accordingly, the first horizontal-fin connectors 130 and second horizontal-fin connectors move in the up/down direction. Consequently, the horizontal fin members 105 swing synchronously about the swing shafts 111.
In the conventional register 100, the horizontal fin members 105 are disposed so that the front surfaces make a substantially flush surface when the horizontal fin members 105 swing to the close position. Therefore, as illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6, the horizontal fin members 105 swung to the close position can close the outlet opening of the retainer 101.
Thus, in the conventional register 100, the horizontal fin members 105 swing to the close position to close the outlet opening of the retainer 101. Accordingly, it is possible to shut off air flowing out from the retainer 101. Consequently, when an air conditioner is provided with a plurality of the conventional registers 100, for instance, it is possible to freely shut off air flowing out from some of the retainers 101 by simply closing the objective retainers 100 of the conventional registers 100 alone.
Note that, however, the neighboring horizontal fin members 105 are disposed with a minute space provided therebetween in the conventional register 100. Therefore, when the horizontal fin members 105 swing to the close position to close the outlet opening of the retainer 101, air flowing within the retainer 101 has flowed out slightly through the minute spaces between the horizontal fin members 105.
Moreover, in order to inhibit the neighboring horizontal fin members 105 from interfering with each other when they are closing the outlet opening of the retainer 101, the horizontal fin members 105 are formed as the following shape. That is, a portion of the horizontal fin members 105, which is disposed on the top-end side when the horizontal fin members 105 swing to the close position, is inclined downward with respect to the blowing direction of air coming from inside the retainer 101. Accordingly, the air flowing out through the minute spaces between the horizontal fin members 105 flows out forward in the substantially horizontal direction.
Note that resisters are generally positioned adjacent to a user in order to supply the user air flowing from air conditioners. Consequently, the air, which has flowed out through the minute spaces between the horizontal fin members 105 of the conventional register 100 forward in the substantially horizontal direction, might collide directly with the user's body to give him or her unpleasant feelings.
Hence, engineering developments, which get rid of the minute spaces between horizontal fin members, have been made recently in order to inhibit air from flowing out through the closed outlet opening of retainers, for instance, as disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (KOKAI) No. 2004-34, 734.
In the register disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (KOKAI) No. 2004-34, 734, the neighboring horizontal members press with each other when they swing to the close position. The thus pressed neighboring horizontal fin members get rid of the minute spaces between them. Accordingly, air coming out from inside the retainer has been shut off. Consequently, it is possible to avoid the problem resulting from the air which collides directly with the user's body to give him or her unpleasant feelings.
In order to completely shut off the air coming out from inside the retainer when the outlet opening of the retainer is closed, it is required to assemble the horizontal fin members with high accuracy so as to equalize the loads for swinging the horizontal fin members to the close position. However, it is very difficult to assemble the horizontal fin members with such high accuracy that allows to completely shut off the air coming out from inside the retainer. Moreover, there arises another problem that the manufacturing cost of the register has gone up sharply. In addition, when the minute spaces between the neighboring horizontal fin members are removed to shut off the air coming out from inside the retainer, the air might flow out through the other portions of the retainer. If the thus flowed out air collides directly with the user, it has likewise given him or her unpleasant feelings.